Systems and Methods for Acquiring Media Assets

ABSTRACT

In one aspect, the invention provides a device for facilitating the acquisition of media assets. In some embodiments, the device includes: a housing; a USB connector projecting outwardly from an end of the housing; a card reader housed in the housing; non-volatile memory housed in the housing and coupled to the USB connector and the card reader; and a barcode disposed on a major surface of the housing, said barcode encoding an identifier that is associated with customer information.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/916,133, filed on May 4, 2007, the entire contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to systems and methods for acquiring mediaassets (e.g., MP3 files, MOV files or other media assets).

2. Discussion of the Background

Today many cell phones have the capability to play music files in theMP3 format. While playing the file is relatively easy getting the musiconto the phone is often tricky and varies tremendously from phone tophone. Not only do phones from each manufacturer use proprietary cablesto connect the phone to the PC, often even phones from the samemanufacturer use different cables. Increasingly however phones fromvarying manufacturers are making use of a common memory card format callmicro SD. Other forms of memory cards are also in use but the totalnumber of formats is less than 5 with Micro SD, Mini SD, Memory StickMicro and standard SD cards being the most common. One issue with thesecards is that the cards are very small and easily dropped whileinserting or removing them from a phone. Card readers do exist for thesecards but typically the mobile cards like the micro SD card is first putinto an adaptor that transforms the card into an SD card size. Then theSD card is inserted into an SD card reader which is then plugged intothe standard USB port on a computer.

To be able to deliver content to a cell phone at retail, a number ofchallenges emerge—First to have an individual cable set for eachmanufacturer of cell phones and then specific cables for each phoneresults in an impractical configuration. To add to the confusion, evenif a cable could be provided, each phone has different software thatwould have to be initiated to enable the phone to interface to an instore Kiosk and thus initiate the delivery of content. One solutionwould be to deliver the content first to the phone's memory card. Thisthen brings up the issue of the card size and the high potential ofdropping and loosing the memory card.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the invention provides a portable device that mayfunctions as a media asset transfer device and/or shopping card (e.g. aloyalty card). In some embodiments the portable device includes: memory(e.g., flash memory), a built-in memory card reader and a USB interfaceor other interface for enabling communication with a computer or otherseparate device. In some embodiments, the memory may store informationrelated to a customer account (e.g., an account number). Additionally,in some embodiments, a barcode may be placed on an outer-surface of thedevice, which barcode may encode information that is associated with thecustomer account.

The above and other embodiments of the present invention are describedbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form partof the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the presentinvention. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical orfunctionally similar elements.

FIG. 1. illustrates a portable device comprising built-in memory (e.g.,flash memory) and a built-in memory card reader.

FIG. 2 illustrates the portable device having a barcode placed thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As used herein, the words “a” and “an” mean “one or more.”

FIG. 1 illustrates a portable device 100, according to an embodiment ofthe invention, for acquiring media assets. As shown in FIG. 1, portabledevice 100 resembles a thumb drive device or “flash drive” (i.e., it issmall—about the size of a thumb), and may include a housing 101, astandard USB connector 102 (or other connector) projecting outwardlyfrom one end of housing 101, and a card reader 104 having a slot forreceiving various memory cards, which card reader is housed in housing101. Although not shown in FIG. 1, device 100 may include memory (e.g.,1G flash memory) that is housed within housing 101 and coupled toconnector 102 and reader 104.

Device 100 may be sold or given to frequent shoppers and may alsoinclude an identifier to allow the card to be used as an identifier fora frequent shopping or loyalty program.

USB connector 102 may be a standard USB 1.0/2.0 connector. Device 100 isself mounting when connected to a PC and the memory component of device100 would show up on the PC as a removable drive with a drive letterallocated by the computer. Typically, in a system with a hard drive (c:)and an optical drive (d:), the memory component of device 100 would showup as an “(e:)” drive. In some embodiment, the memory component ofdevice 100 may have both a hidden folder for access by an in-store POSsystem as well as an open folder for saving music or video or othermedia assets vended from, for example, an in-store kiosk.

As discussed above and shown in FIG. 1, in addition to device 100including internal memory, device 100 may also include an integratedcard reader 104. Following the above example, any memory card, such as acard from a cell phone, placed into this reader 104 would show up as an“(f:)” drive or other drive when device 100 is connected to the PC.Device 100 would pass power from the USB connector to the reader 104 andhave the appropriate software to recognize and mount the card.

In some embodiments, device 100 may have a unique identifier associatedtherewith (e.g., an identifier associated with a customer account orloyalty program). This identifier can be used as a part of a storeloyalty program. For example, a barcode 201 that encodes the identifiermay be printed (or otherwise placed) on a surface of the unit (see FIG.2). Other physical identifying technologies can also be used instead ofor in conjunction with the bar code, such as Near Field Communication(NFC) technology or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Thesealternative technologies would also have a unique identifier coded intothem.

When a device 100 is provided to a customer, its unique identifier isread (e.g., if it has a barcode, a sales clerk may scan the barcode) andassociated with that customer. For example, after the identifier is readfrom device 100, the identifier may be placed into a user configurationfile, user profile or other data record that contains information aboutthe customer. This customer information could include, but is notlimited to, information such as name, address, date of birth, emailaddress as well as preferences for genres of content etc. If no suchuser record exists, one may be created. The record that is created maybe stored in a CRM system as well as copied into a hidden folder storedin the memory component of device 100.

Device 100 may also be used as a stored value instrument and could beloaded with funds/points to enable the purchase of media assets. Forsecurity and to prevent fraud, the funds/points may be encrypted orotherwise protected from tampering.

After a device 100 is provided to a customer and associated with thecustomer as described above, the customer may use device 100 to obtainmedia assets (e.g., tracks from a CD, videos, games or other mediaassets). For example, the customer may use a “kiosk” (i.e., any devicethat enables the user to select media assets) to search for and samplemedia assets. When the user finds a media asset he or she is interestedin acquiring, the user can add that content to a virtual shopping cart,as is well known in the art. When the user has finished the shoppingexperience (i.e., adding content to the cart) the user may proceed tocheckout the cart by, for example, activating a “checkout” buttondisplayed on a user interface of the kiosk. In response to this actionby the user, the kiosk may instruct the user to insert USB connector 102of device 100 into a USB slot of the kiosk, if the user has not alreadydone so.

If the kiosk has checkout capability (e.g., the ability to store mediaassets onto device 100), the kiosk may first verify the storage capacityof the memory component of device 100 and/or the storage capacity of amemory card inserted into card reader 104 to determine if there issufficient capacity to load the media assets that are in the user'sshopping cart to a storage unit of device 100 (i.e., the memorycomponent of the memory card). If there is not sufficient capacity,kiosk may inform the user that the device 100 is full and thetransaction must end.

But, if there is sufficient capacity and the kiosk has the capability toaccept payment (e.g., the kiosk has a credit card swipe device or thelike or other device for receiving payment), then a payment dialogue maybe presented prompting the user to authorize payment or insert paymentfor the selected media assets. Once the purchase transaction has beencompleted and verified (e.g., after the user swipes his credit card andthe card is verified or after it is determined that there is asufficient amount of stored funds/point stored in device 100 or afterthe user inserts payment), the kiosk may store a copy of the purchasedmedia assets onto a storage unit of device 100 (e.g., a memory cardinserted into the card reader of device 100) together with a digitalreceipt.

If the kiosk does not have a payment capability, but has a USB slot,then, instead of initiating the payment dialogue, the kiosk may store adigital token on the memory card or other storage unit in device 100and/or may store onto a storage unit of device 100 a copy of thepurchased assets in a locked form so that, even though the media assetsare stored in device 100, they can not be fully enjoyed (e.g., they cannot be played at all or can be played only a few times or less) untilthe user pays for the assets. After storing the token and/or assets inlocked form (e.g., encrypted form) in device 100, the kiosk may promptthe user to then take device 100 to a point-of-sale device (e.g., acheckout counter having a POS device) having a USB port.

After the user connects USB connector 102 of device 100 to a USB port ofthe POS device, the POS determines the media assets that the userdesires to purchase. For example, the POS may read the token that wasstored in device 100 by the kiosk, which token my include an identifierthat identifies the customers cart so that the POS system can determinethe contents the customer placed in the cart or, for each media assetplaced in the cart, the token may include an identifier that identifiesthe media asset. Alternatively, the POS device may read barcode 201 anduse read data to determine the assets. Next, if the media assets are notalready stored in device 100, then the POS device, like the kiosk, maycheck to insure that there is sufficient data storage space on device100 for the media assets. If there is sufficient space, then after theuser tenders payment, the POS would transfer the media assets along witha digital receipt to device 100 much in the same manner as describedabove in connection with the kiosk. If the media assets are alreadystored in device 100 (e.g., stored in a locked form), then the POSdevice may unlock the assets after the user provides the requiredpayment. The POS device need not be located in the retail store and mayeven be implemented on the user's home computer or on a website that theuser access using his/her home computer.

In the case where the kiosk does not have a USB port, then the user maybe instructed to proceed to a POS station with device 100 when the useris ready to make payment and acquire the media assets placed in thecart. In such am embodiment, the device's unique identifier (e.g.,barcode) is associated with the user's shopping cart so when the deviceis scanned or inserted at the POS location for payment the device'sunique identifier can be used to retrieve the cart. For example, whenthe user activates a “checkout” button (or other user interface elementdisplayed on a display device of the kiosk), the kiosk may prompt theuser to position device 100 so that a barcode reader of kiosk can readbarcode 201, and, after reading the barcode, the barcode may beassociated with an identifier identifying the user's cart. This may beaccomplished by the kiosk transmitting the barcode data to a server thatstores the cart identifier, and the server, upon receiving the barcodedata, can store the bar code data such that it is associated with thecart identifier. Once payment is received by the POS, the device couldbe loaded with the content and the digital receipt.

Regardless of how the payment was finally transacted, a storage unit indevice 100 (e.g., a card inserted into the card reader or flash memoryhoused within the housing of device 100) would be loaded with contentafter receipt of funds. The user can then take the content back to hisor her PC and plug the device into the PC (e.g., using the USBinterface) and transfer the content to the PC in accordance with anyDigital Rights Management (DRM) that may or may not be present. Becausedevice 100 has a card reader/writer for various memory cards, the usermay choose to insert a memory card into device 100 to copy the contentonto the card. The customer could insert the phone memory card either atthe time of initial purchase at the retail location or later at the homePC.

Because device 100 may include writable memory, user information mayalso be added to device 100 that would enable the kiosk to read thatuser information and then customize a presentation based on this userinformation, which may include the user's previous or recent purchasesor stated or observed preference. A points system could also beimplemented whereby each time device 100 is used, points are added tothe memory which when read might initiate a discount or special offer.

Another implementation of device 100 would be to use it to tell a kioskwhat the characteristics of the users media device might be. In thisimplementation, at signup, the type and model of a phone to whichcontent may be transferred is inputted into the system. That informationmay then be checked against a database of capabilities of individualphones and the phone capability profile may be written to a memory unitof the device 100 or an identifier identifying the phone may be writtento the memory. When the user goes to purchase media assets, the profileor phone identifier may be read by the kiosk (or POS) and an appropriatefile format may be written to a storage unit of the device 100 (e.g.,the phone memory card through the device 100 card reader function). Inthis way only files that can be correctly played on the phone aretransferred to device 100. The same profiling system can also be used toprofile other home media players so if for example the users phonerequires a different format than the users home media player bothformats could be transferred to the device.

The digital receipt function can provide proof of purchase which may beespecially important with non-DRM files that do not have a link back toa DRM server to verify the authenticity of the purchase.

A software program could also be implemented that would write useridentifying information into the header or meta data portion of a nonprotected song so that if the song were passed to someone other than theoriginal owner it would be obvious that the person using the content wasnot the legitimate owner.

There could also be an enhanced version of the device 100 that includesa rechargeable battery or other charge storage device (e.g., acapacitor). This enhanced version would have the ability to not only getinformation from a kiosk and load it onto the device 100 but also sincethe unit was powered by a rechargeable battery the transfer to the phonememory could be accomplished without having to connect the device 100 toa host computer. This version of the device 100 may also have amicro-controller in addition to the battery, which micro-controller maybe configured to automatically copy files from the device 100 mainmemory to a memory card inserted into the card reader of the device.

While various embodiments/variations of the present invention have beendescribed above, it should be understood that they have been presentedby way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scopeof the present invention should not be limited by any of theabove-described exemplary embodiments.

1. A device for facilitating the acquisition of media assets, the devicecomprising: a housing; a USB connector projecting outwardly from an endof the housing; a card reader housed in the housing; non-volatile memoryhoused in the housing and coupled to the USB connector and the cardreader so that data received via said USB connector can be stored insaid non-volatile memory and data stored in said non-volatile memory canbe transferred to a card inserted into said card reader; and a barcodedisposed on a major surface of the housing, said barcode encoding anidentifier that is associated with customer information.
 2. A method ofusing a device to acquire media assets, wherein the device comprises ahousing, a USB connector projecting outwardly from an end of thehousing, a card reader housed in the housing, and non-volatile memoryhoused in the housing and coupled to the USB connector and the cardreader so that data received via said USB connector can be stored insaid non-volatile memory and data stored in said non-volatile memory canbe transferred to a card inserted into said card reader, the methodcomprising: using a kiosk to select at least one media asset; insertingthe device's USB connector into a compatible USB slot provided by thekiosk; using the kiosk to authorize or provide payment for the at leastone media asset; after authorizing or providing the payment, receivingfrom the kiosk the at least one media asset and storing the at least onemedia asset on a card inserted into the card reader; removing the cardfrom the card reader; and inserting the card into a media player device.3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device further comprises a barcodedisposed on a major surface of the housing, said barcode encoding anidentifier that is associated with the user of the device.
 4. The methodof claim 3, further comprising positioning the device relative to thekiosk so that a barcode scanner connected to the kiosk can scan thebarcode.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of positioning thedevice is performed before the step of selecting the at least one mediaasset.
 6. A method of using a device to acquire media assets, whereinthe device comprises a housing, a USB connector projecting outwardlyfrom an end of the housing, a card reader housed in the housing,non-volatile memory housed in the housing and coupled to the USBconnector and the card reader, and a barcode disposed on a major surfaceof the housing, said barcode encoding an identifier that is associatedwith the user of the device, the method comprising: using a kiosk toselect media assets; activating a user interface element displayed on adisplay device of the kiosk to indicate that a media asset selectionprocess is complete; receiving a prompt from the kiosk to position thedevice so that the barcode can be read; positioning the device relativeto the kiosk so that a barcode scanner connected to the kiosk can scanthe barcode; after the scanner scans the barcode, taking the device topoint-of-sale system, which uses the barcode to determine the selectedmedia assets; inserting the device's USB connector into a compatible USBslot provided by the point-of-sale system; authorizing or providingpayment for the selected media assets; after authorizing or providingthe payment, receiving from the point-of-sale system the selected mediaassets and storing the media assets in the memory or on a card insertedinto the card reader.